Hokie State of the Union

   This is your State of the Union. Only, for fellow Hokie fans and the docket has one thing to discuss. Football. It may be that I’ve more fully committed myself to watching any news that arises from the Hokie Camp but something smells different this year, and it’s pretty thick. Sadly however I feel that so many media outlets are pulling the average fan into a whirlwind of information. This isn’t particularly bad as a lot has gone on but with each story this Shane Train is starting to board passengers with a ticket to the future. Great. We have more commitments than any other school currently at 22. A resurgence in rivalry has become of it with UVA vying for more and more top in-state prospects. This is all fantastic stuff but uhhh what happened to this year? 

   We all thought new QB, loss of our two headed monster, and a cupcake OOC schedule would be the perfect time to relax the reins a bit. Fly under the radar and hope to God the new guy would solidify into a butterfly by the Clemson game. That’s why we, the fans, are meant to simply fasten the seatbelt and enjoy the ride. No matter how many times we dominate in NCAA we don’t really know how to run the team. There’s a reason that’s left for our lead in Frank Beamer, surrounded by an all-star cast. It’s ACC media days. I implore you to watch the interviews of our players and coaches. Something has changed. No, not just in hiring the Miracle-Gro to our recruitment woes. I’m white so I’ll use this sparingly, but we have swag. Something humbled yet confident enough to be effective. Last year was something akin to an identity crisis. Over ranked, under ranked, then over valued again. Both amazing and embarrassing a spectacle was made of our football team last year. That’s not going to happen again. Even the players will tell you. Over and over.

   We’re witness most extensively to changes from the top that has impacted our recruitment success. Again however, that’s the future. We invent that shit anyways right? It’s our schools motto after all. What will contribute to success on the field this year has been all but glossed over. For sake of organization ill break it down by phase:

Offense:
    Billy Hite and Jim Cavanaugh were moved to administrative roles. How much this was to their liking is between Frank, the administration, and themselves. Nonetheless, they’ve sucked it up for the players and school. An amazing move as we are able to obtain insight from these pillars while freeing up space for Shane and Brown to come in. The most riveting move however is in allowing Mike O’Cain to be the play caller. Stinespring is still the OC by name but will put most emphasis on the TE’s and Tackles along with Newsome supporting the rest of the hog mollies in the middle. This more one on one attention is like going from a freshman lecture hall to recitation. Both coaches will have better use of their time as well. Back to O’Cain, also the current QB coach, will now be able to use his understanding of Logan’s abilities and devise game plans around them. Stinespring still signs off on it all and is inevitably responsible for the game plan but we know who’s calling the game. Interestingly enough, while at Clemson O’Cain had some of the most productive offenses in the nation. Therefore, assuming more production out of LT and co is not outlandish. Logan Thomas is massive. At 6’6″ he will be watching the field from the press boxes. Albeit a more pro-style QB, he does have legs. Anyone who remembers the spring game, sorry not me, can attest to the 20+ dart up the middle of the field. I’m not the only one either. While others are asking Chase Minnifield which of the three headed dog at UVA is ready he begrudgingly said none. When asked of Coales who is the impact player for Tech guess who he mentioned without hesitation? He thinks LT can do something every time he touches the ball. That conveys leadership and trust. Awesome.

Defense: 
   Organizationally nothing huge here. Cornell Brown was brought in to work with the LB’s and so far it’s looking promising. Players and coaches alike are paying compliment to JGW after appearing to be our weakest link last year. The best news lies in both scheme change and mentality. Bud Foster has started a “50″ campaign. Insert any 50 cent lyric here for effect. This campaign is to highlight his attitude that no team below top 50 nationally in Defense deserves an Orange Bowl appearance. They carved 534 total yards out of us by the way. Not to mention Josh Harris’ 220+ yard performance, a WF player no less! Needless to say our run D was atrocious and Run D helps win championships. This is also why Bud is going more back to the base 4-3 defense. With the Hopkins brothers at Tackle, J.R. Collins and James Gayle at ends I honestly think we will have a formidable force up front. Add LB’s in Bruce Taylor, a returning Barquell Rivers, Tariq Edwards, JGW, etc we are absolutely stacked with the front seven. Bud originally changed to the nickel after seeing so many teams change to the spread after it being so successful at USC and other PAC 12. Going back to the base defense will be especially complimentary to the mass turnover at QB this year. More than half the teams in the ACC are unleashing their new starter, unless you’re UVA lol. This equates to a more conservative approach with these guys. When they do decide it lob it up though that’s ok. Jayron Hosley was only the top CB last year with 9 INT’s. Kyle Fuller is younger but shows promise as well while Eddie Whitley is probably one of the most football intelligent guys on the team. He has been responsible for many of the audibles that get the guys into position. Anything less than a top 25 performance from this group would be blasphemy.

Special Teams:
   I’ll admit, I’m drinking the kook aid everywhere else. Not completely sold here. Yet again, this is a Frankspertise. Snickers are already building around the fact that Danny Coale will probably win the top spot at punter. Yes, punter. He did it in high school so he asked to contribute when seeing the need. If he can keep it between the sidelines I’ll be ecstatic. Our kicker is respectable from what I hear but no Brent Bowden of last year sadly. Our biggest lost here will be the loss of David Wilson most likely as KR. He led the team with 584 yards and 2 TD’s last year. He’s an animal that would most likely not mind the task but the need to keep him healthy and ready at Tailback is more prominent. This may look like a big defect but we always seem to  reload these return guys. Jayron returned a punt last year and guys like Roberts and Fuller have breakaway speed. My biggest question remains in how we actually get back to BeamerBall. Something all but muttered now. I miss the excitement of blocking kicks and destroying returnees. If the rest of the team has made the changes they say they are I hope this comes with the rest of the package.

   Others are catching onto these changes along with the potential from the squad this year and trying to enter it into a NC calculation. Phil Steele has us as highly ranked as 5th based on our OOC schedule. I just say be cautious when buying in here. I don’t believe the team will revisit any JMU-esque mistakes but football is week to week. We saw that AFTER our first two losses.  Something is definitely in the water over in Blacksburg though. The guys more than anxious to play. A chip is on their shoulder and they want to eat the opposition for lunch.

RiVAHokie.wordpress.com